Thabo Bester: MPs hear of G4S prison ‘dysfunction’ and that minister was informed of escape
Cape Town - On day two of hearings into Facebook Rapist Thabo Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre, prison bosses and parliamentarians laid into the management of the privately-operated facility.
On Wednesday, prison operator G4S representatives’ presentations were torn to shreds by parliamentarians, particularly ANC MPs Anthea Ramolobeng and Qubudile Dyantyi, and DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach.
Addressing MPs on Thursday, Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services’ (Jics) inspecting Judge Edwin Cameron said: “There is dysfunction at Mangaung (Correctional Centre).”
Cameron also told of Mangaung wardens who deal in marijuana and tik in the prison. He received the information from a whistle-blower.
“I wouldn’t have believed that easily before this (Bester’s escape) happened.”
JICS CEO Vick Misser presented a timeline showing that Cameron wrote to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola in October last year, informing him that Bester’s alleged death appeared “highly untoward” and of indications of collusion between G4S and others.
Visser said Lamola and G4S were briefed about Bester’s “alleged death”.
DA MP Janho Engelbrecht sought clarity on whether Lamola and Correctional Services’s regional and national commissioners were aware that Bester’s death was a hoax.
“They were aware of our suspicions. But may I say again: I think there were two difficulties. The one was the absolute sense of incredulity,” Cameron said.
“The minister also reminded me (yesterday) morning ... at the time we were struck with disbelief, despite the facts in first the post-mortem report and the DNA tests ... which indicated conclusively as we now look back.
“They were aware. The answer is positive on that. I think the problem was that there were intersecting investigations; they were grinding slowly.”
Lamola said his office didn’t receive Cameron’s email.
However, Lamola added that when Cameron informed him at another stage, he immediately called SAPS national commissioner Fannie Masemola to inquire about the prison break.
Lamola said the audacious crime shocked him.
Committee chair Gratitude Magwanishe intervened to end back-back-and-forth quips when Breytenbach suggested that being “shocked” appeared to be a thing at Cabinet level, to which Lamola responded: “I suspect you were also shocked.”
Free State provincial police commissioner Baile Motswenyane presented a brief police report.
Breytenbach cornered Police Minister Bheki Cele on why officials chartered a private jet on their return from Tanzania.
Cele said this was to assuage the Tanzanian negotiators.
A Department of Community Safety (DCS) presentation backs Cameron’s claims about the Mangaung prison’s state.
There have been 3 200 crimes that fall under the “aggressive” category of murders, attempted murders, robberies, assaults and aggravating robbery, a DCS official told MPs.
There were 1 900 sexual crimes committed at the prison, DCS said. There were 592 economic crimes committed from the prison; 18 drug crimes and 1 036 other crimes.
ANC MP Nomathemba Maseko-Jele said the government pays G4S R45m a month to run the prison, and asked whether the DCS would claw any money back and cancel the contract.
DCS commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale said they would claim the costs back.
ACDP MP Swart put it to Thobakgale that it was a “glaring omission” that DCS reported a case to the police on January 16 and then only activated a track and trace team on March 24.
Thobakgale said they were awaiting a final report and that they only moved when they had all the facts.
Yesterday’s sitting continued beyond 7.20pm.
soyiso.maliti@inl.co.za